One of Their Own
by Traci
Summary: Complete story. I can’t say too much because it will give things away… Maureen Stabler is at college. When her roommate is raped, Elliot will find out more than he wanted to know about what really happened and with an impending divorce, is the stres
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Not mine, only wish they were.  Belong to Dick Wolf, etc.

Category: Drama, Case, Angst

Rating: PG-13 (reference to rape, some language (not a lot) ).

Spoilers:  None in particular but I suppose there may be some little ones up to and through Season 5.

Author: Traci  -  traci_ann@yahoo.com

Summary:  I can't say too much because it will give things away… Maureen Stabler is at college.  When her roommate is raped, Elliot will find out more than he wanted to know about what really happened and with an impending divorce, is the stress too much for him?

Again a huge thanks to Tracy for looking over it and letting me know honestly if things are horrific or work!  I appreciate it!

One of Their Own

Detective Elliot Stabler quietly walked into the precinct and sat at his desk.  

His partner looked over at him when he did not acknowledge her.  "Elliot?"  When he remained lost in his thoughts, Olivia Benson called his name a little louder.  "Elliot!"

"Oh, sorry, Liv."  He shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts.  

The tall brunette gave him a small smile.  "You okay?"

After a moment's hesitation, he took a deep breath.  "Not really."

Benson looked down at the papers she had been working on then pushed them aside.  "Have you had breakfast yet?"

Shaking his head, he said.  "No, but seeing as we just got to work…"

Benson got up and reached for her coat.  "And we worked late last night so they owe us."  She tossed Stabler's coat over to him.

****************

"Do you want to talk about it or do you want to keep massacring those pancakes?" Olivia softly asked.

"Kathy asked for a divorce last night," Elliot blurted out.

Olivia sat across from him, stunned.  "I'm sorry, Elliot."

His blue eyes looked up and found hers.  "You don't sound surprised."

She just looked at him.

"I guess I'm not really surprised either.  Our marriage hasn't been going well for awhile now."

"What about counseling?"

"We're beyond that.  Honestly, Liv, I think the marriage lasted a lot longer than it would have without the kids."

She nodded.  Being married to a cop was never an easy thing but a marriage that occurred under the circumstances that Elliot and Kathy's did…  "What are you going to do?"

"Give her the divorce.  What else can I do?  My only other option is to quit this job and that's not even a guarantee that it will help."

"What about the kids?"

"We're going to tell them this weekend but something tells me they already have an idea, especially Maureen."  He sighed.  "I'm just worried Maureen will think that Kathy and I only got married because of her."

"Maureen knows better, El."  Olivia gave him a sympathetic smile.  "Why don't you talk to Cragen about taking some time off."

Shaking his head, he said, "I need to keep working.  It helps keep my mind off things at home."

They finished eating with only light conversation.  As they were waiting for the check however, Olivia spoke.

"You've been a cop for a long time, why did it only recently become a problem?"

Opening his mouth to answer, he quickly closed it unsure how to tell her that some of the problems began when he became partnered with Olivia.  That Kathy had a hard time dealing with the fact he talked more to Olivia than with his own wife.  "I guess it just got harder as the kids got older," he lied.

Olivia did not believe him but was not going to push him to tell her.  She knew he would tell her when he was ready.

********************

Cragen called them into his office when they returned.  "I just got a call about a rape."  He looked at two of his best detectives.  "It was an officer's daughter.  Eighteen."  He handed them a folder.  "I want this bastard."

"Where did it happen?" Stabler asked while his partner looked over the folder.

Cragen did not respond.  He waited for Benson to find out.  

She looked at Cragen then up at Stabler.  "Hudson University.  Elliot, it's Maureen's roommate."

"Let me know now if it's going to be a problem for you," Cragen told him.

Stabler shook his head.  "No, Captain, it won't be."  He left the office.

"Olivia…"

"I'll keep an eye on him."

With a nod, he dismissed her.

******************

Stabler and Benson sat in their car for a moment.  She turned to him from the driver's seat.  "Are you sure about this?"

"We have a job to do," he stated.

"Elliot…"

He looked into her eyes.  "You try to protect your children.  You do everything possible and then…"

Benson reached across and covered his hand with hers.  "There's only so much a parent can do and you and Kathy have done a great job with all your kids.  But no one can protect their children from reality forever."

"What would you know about parenting?" he hissed, stepping out of the door and slamming it shut leaving a very stunned partner behind.

**********************

"Dad!  What are you doing here?"  Maureen Stabler's face was a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

Elliot glanced back at Olivia who had just stepped up behind him.  "We're here to talk to Aimee."

Maureen looked to Olivia.

"Elliot, why don't I talk to Maureen while you talk to Aimee," she said softly, her eyes falling upon the average height redhead curled up on the far bed.

He whirled around, ready to tell Benson to stay out of it when he felt Maureen push past him and stand beside his partner. 

"Please, Dad.  I don't really want to talk to you about it."

His heart dropped.  "Alright," he whispered.

Maureen led Olivia to a private corner of the common room of her dorm.  

"Are you alright, Maureen?" she asked.

The young girl nodded.  "It didn't happen to me…" Her gaze fell to her hands.  "But it should have."

Olivia reached over and touched her hands.  "Why do you say that?"

Sniffing, Maureen slowly looked over at Olivia.  "Because Aimee stopped him from raping me."

********************

Stabler left the dorm room opened and pulled a chair up to Aimee's bed.  "Aimee, I need you to tell me what happened."  He forced himself not to look around the room.  He forced himself not to see the family pictures Maureen had hanging on the wall beside her bed.

The teen continued to sob into her pillow.

"Aimee, we need to know who did this to you so we can arrest him."

"No," she choked out.  "It's not worth it."

He bit his lower lip.  It could have been Maureen in that position.  It could have been his own daughter…

"Please.  Leave."

"Aimee, he will only do this to someone else."

Slowly she lifted her head and looked at him.

************************

"What happened?"

Maureen's eyes filled with tears.  "If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell my dad.  Please, Olivia."

"Honey, you know I can't make that promise.  We're cops.  We're working on this case.  If it's something that will help us nail him…"

"Please.  Dad and Mom are going through enough right now."

Benson stared at the blonde.

"They're getting a divorce," Maureen whispered.

In an instant, Olivia got up from the chair and sat beside Maureen, sliding an arm around the sobbing girl.  "How do you know that?"

"Kathleen overheard them last night.  She left a message on my phone.  If they know where I was and what I was doing last night…"  Her blue eyes pleaded.  

"I can't promise he won't find out, but I will do my best to keep unnecessary details out of it."

Satisfied with the answer, Maureen continued.  "Aimee and I got invited to a frat party last night.  We thought it would be a great way to meet people, the football team and such.  We knew there'd be drinking but really each of us only planned on one drink all night to make it look good."

When she hesitated, Olivia nodded for her to continue.

"One of the guys there was following me around all night.  It wasn't scary at first just annoying.  Anyway, I guess I can't really handle alcohol and started to feel a little woozy after just half a beer.  I was trying to find Aimee when this guy grabbed my arm and pulled me upstairs."

Instinctively, Olivia pulled Maureen closer.

"He shoved me into a bedroom and shut the door.  I think he thought he had locked it.  He pushed me onto the bed and jumped on top of me."  She stopped to take a few deep breaths.  "Aimee opened the door, I guess she heard me screaming over the music, and yelled at him to stop and get off me.  He laughed.  She managed to push him off and told me to run, which I did.  I thought she was behind me."  Her tears flowed once more.  "But when I got downstairs, she wasn't.  I ran back upstairs but the door was locked this time and I could hear her in there.  I tried to get someone to help but everyone was too drunk to care."  Throwing her arms around Olivia, she hugged her tightly.  "I didn't know that would happen.  I really didn't."

"Shh, it's alright.  Do you know who this guy was?"  Olivia asked, fighting back her own tears.  

"No.  I've never seen him before."

Benson asked no more questions as Elliot's daughter continued to cry.

**********************

Stabler left Aimee alone and went to find his partner and his eldest daughter.  He stopped short when he saw Maureen crying in Olivia's arms.  Fighting the instinct to run in, he decided it best to trust them and turned and waited in the hallway.

It was a good ten minutes before the two women returned to the dorm room.  Maureen stopped in front of her father and, after a moment's hesitation, she hugged him.  "Daddy, please get this guy."

He swallowed hard.  She only ever called him 'daddy' when she was terrified.  "We will, honey, I promise."

Looking to Olivia, she smiled and retreated to her room to take care of Aimee.

Stabler turned to Benson, who was wiping tears away.  "What did she have to say?"

"She doesn't know who the guy was," was her only reply.  She had promised Maureen she would keep as many details as possible from Elliot, however, most of what she had told her was pertinent to the case.  One thing she would not do, though, would be to fill him in while they stood outside Maureen's dorm room.

"Liv…"

"Hey, I'm not a parent.  What would I know about handling children?" she hissed then turned and walked away.

Watching her walk away, Elliot sighed.  His marriage was over.  His daughter's roommate had been raped.  His life was falling apart and for some reason he seemed to be taking it all out on his partner.  

Benson was already behind the wheel of the car when he got in.  "I…Liv, I'm sorry about that comment I made earlier… Olivia?"

Without a word, she turned to him.

Numbness coursed through his body.  She had been crying.  She had been the one to talk to his daughter and now she was crying. 

With a turn of the key, she drove them back to the station.

***********************

Pulling into the parking garage of the station, Benson turned off the car but made no effort to move.  

Neither did Stabler.  "Do you want to tell me what's going on?"  A chill ran through his veins when she looked at him.  Never had he seen such devastation consume her eyes.  "Is it about Maureen?  Olivia, I have a right to know."

As hard as she tried, she was unable to hold back the new tears as they filled her chestnut eyes.  "Not here.  My apartment isn't that far."

He stopped her when she went to start the car.  "Let me drive."

Not wanting to fight, she merely opened the door and switched sides with him.

All the way to Olivia's apartment, Elliot's mind raced with questions.  What had his partner so upset?  What had Maureen told her?  What had happened to Maureen?  If anyone had touched his daughter….

"El, you just went past my building," she whispered.

"Huh?  Oh."  He turned down a side street and found a parking space there.  

Not a word had been spoken between them until they were inside her apartment.

Stabler sat on the couch while Benson paced the floor.  "Elliot, I… I don't know how to tell you this.  I promised Maureen I'd keep out any insignificant details but…"

"What is it?" he demanded a little harsher than he had meant to.

Sitting across from him, she forced him to look into her eyes.  "Maureen is no longer a child, she's eighteen and in college.  She's an adult."

"Just tell me."

"On one condition."

He stood up.  "On one condition?  I can't believe you, Olivia.  This is my daughter we're talking about.  As a father I have a right to know what she said to you."

Olivia stood up and faced him.  "And your reaction is exactly why Maureen didn't want to talk to you about what happened.  My condition is that you don't go off ranting to Maureen!"

They stood facing each other, daring the other to continue.  Finally Elliot sighed and sat down again.  "Something tells me as a father I don't want to know but as a cop I have to know."

This time Olivia sat beside him.  "That's exactly what it is.  Are you ready to hear it?"

He glanced over at her.  "I don't think I have a choice."

She nodded but waited.  "Maureen told me she and Aimee went to a frat party."  She felt him tense beside her.  "They weren't going to drink, they were going to fit in."

Elliot's jaw clenched.

"She said some guy had been following her all night.  He eventually pulled her into the bedroom and tried to attack her…"  She paused and waited for a reaction.

"I'll kill…"

"Elliot."

"Sorry, go ahead."

"Aimee came in, pushed the guy off and told Maureen to run.  She did, thinking Aimee was behind her.  When she wasn't, she went back up to the room but the door was locked.  She tried to get someone to help Aimee but no one would."

Stabler remained silent.

Reaching over, she placed her hand on his arm.  

He jerked away, stood up and walked over to a wall in silence.

She jumped when his fist connected with the doorframe.  "Now do you see why she didn't want to tell you?"

"She's not your daughter, Olivia," he snarled.

Olivia stood up but kept her distance.  "No, she's not.  But you want to know why she wanted to talk to me?  She knows about the divorce.  She didn't want to make things even more difficult for you," she snapped back.

He froze and stared at her.  "How does she know?" he asked softly.

Taking a few steps towards him, she said, "Kathleen overheard you and Kathy.  She called Maureen."

Stabler closed his eyes and threw his head back.  "This is just great."

"Elliot."

Opening his mouth to yell at her, he suddenly stopped.  With all that had been going on in his life at the moment she was the one who was still there.  The one who, despite the horrible way he had been treating her lately, had not walked away.  Suddenly he felt guilty.  He closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.  "I'm sorry for taking this all out on you, Liv."

She smiled.  "That's what I'm here for."

Pulling back, he shook his head.  "No, you're not.  You've been nothing but supportive and understanding.  I shouldn't have yelled at you.  I shouldn't have said those things to you and I should be grateful that Maureen opened up to you."

Any other conversation was cut short by the ringing of his cell phone.  "Stabler… We're on our way back now."  

Olivia had already retrieved their coats and handed one to Elliot.

"Cragen wants us back at the office right now," he told her.

****************

"What did you find out?" Cragen asked as the two detectives walked into his office.

"Not much," Stabler mumbled.

Benson looked at him before speaking.  "Maureen was the intended victim."

Cragen sighed.  "You two are off this case."

Stabler turned around to face his boss.  "You can't do that…" 

"I can and I just did.  It's too close to you, Elliot."

"But…"

"What about me?" Olivia asked.  "There's no reason I shouldn't be able to stay with it.  I can get Munch or Fin."  Off Cragen's look, she continued.  "Maureen trusts me."

Cragen stared at her for a few moments.  "Alright."  His eyes found Stabler once again.  "But you are off.  No argument."

Defeated, Stabler silently nodded and walked out of the office.

"Any idea who did this?" Cragen asked.

Benson shook her head.  "Neither girl recognized him.  But it's a big campus.  We're having Maureen and Aimee working with a sketch artist."  She paused.  "We both know it's very possible that whoever it was had just walked in off the streets and no one knew him."

"I know," Cragen agreed.  "But I'm trying not to think that way."

An officer stopped in the doorway.  "Detective Benson, the sketch artist is back."

********************

As she walked past Stabler's desk, she stopped, touched his shoulder and whispered, "You okay?"

He nodded.  "Just get the guy for me."

Smiling, she nodded and continued walking.

The artist looked up with a grim expression when Benson walked in.  Her heart fell.  "They couldn't give a description?"

"They did," he told her and turned the drawing towards her.

She gasped.  "Are they sure?"

"Their expressions were all I needed to know this is the right guy."

Benson stared at the picture.  There was no way she could tell Elliot, but he'd find out so probably better to find out from her than someone else.  

"I called the 4-3 but they haven't seen him for two days," offered the artist.

She nodded.  "Thanks."

"You going to tell Stabler?"

"I don't think I have a choice."

****************

Heavy-hearted, Olivia Benson walked into her boss' office and closed the door.  "We have the ID of the suspect."

Cragen looked up from his papers.  "I thought they hadn't seen him before."

"They hadn't."  She hesitated.  "We have."

"Someone we put away?"

Olivia fought back tears at the knowledge of who had put not only two girls, but two cops daughters through this.  "No.  It's an undercover officer from the 4-3.  Detective James Chimon."

Cragen's face turned red.  "Please tell me they got him."

"No. No one has seen him in two days."

Unable to remain seated, he began pacing then stopped short and turned towards Benson.  "Aimee's father is a Sergeant at the 4-3.  Have you told Elliot yet?"

Benson shook her head.  "But if Chimon isn't caught before Elliot or Aimee's father get hold of him…"

"Send Stabler in."  Cragen returned to his seat.

"Uh, I was thinking maybe…"

His eyes met hers.  "Are you sure you want to be the one to tell him?"

"Not really, but I know I have to be the one he hears it from."

*******************

Benson sat down at her desk.

Stabler glanced over at her but said nothing.

A few moments later, she looked over at her partner.  "Elliot, I have to talk to you."

He put down his pen and gave her his full attention.

"Not here.  Cragen gave us the rest of the day off."  She got up, grabbed her keys and jacket, and waited for him.

Quietly he followed her.

When they reached her car, she turned around.  "Do you want to take your car too so you can go home later?"

A sad smile formed on his lips.  "Home to where?"

"I'm sorry, I forgot.  Where are you going to stay?"

"Probably the hotel down the street.  But if you'd rather me drive separately…"

She smiled at him.  "Just get in."

As she drove she found her mind pre-occupied with thoughts of how to tell her partner that his daughter was nearly raped by a fellow officer.  How to keep him calm and to keep him from running out the door on a one-man huntdown?  How to keep him from killing someone in cold blood?

"Liv?  Is there a reason we keep showing up at your place?" he asked as she pulled up to the curb.

"Huh?  Oh, geez, I didn't even realize…  We can go somewhere else if you'd rather."

"No."  His eyes met hers and all she found was fear and concern.  "Here is fine.  Liv, I have to admit you're really scaring me."

"I'm sorry."

"Did you find out who raped Aimee?"

Her chestnut eyes answered.

"Who?"

"Inside."  She got out of the car and waited for him to catch up at the front door.

Once inside her apartment, she immediately went to the kitchen and returned with two beers, handing one to Elliot.

He looked at her.

"You're going to need it."

She sat beside him on the couch, sipping her beer.  

"Are you going to tell me what happened or am I going to have to guess?" Elliot snapped, his patience wearing thin.

"Do you know a James Chimon?"

He nodded.  "Young looking detective over at the 4-3.  I worked with him on a case a few years ago involving a high school drug bust.  Why?"

"El, Aimee and Maureen didn't recognize the suspect, but I did.  So did the sketch artist."

"Who was it?"

She looked deep into his eyes.

"No."  He slammed the beer bottle on the coffee table and stood up.  "That son-of-a-bitch!  He's a cop!"

Olivia stood up and touched his arm.  "El, he's not going to get away with it."  Her heart clutched in her chest when he turned back to her.  Tears ran down his cheeks.

"He raped a cop's daughter, Liv.  He nearly raped *my* daughter!"  Swallowing hard, he choked on the words as he continued.  "What will I tell Kathy?  As if the divorce wasn't bad enough.  As if the kids wouldn't be going through enough…"

"I don't know that you should tell Kathy."

"How can you say that?"

Sitting down again, Olivia looked at her hands.  "Maureen wouldn't have told either of you if you weren't the one assigned to the case.  Odds are, you never would have known about this."  She lifted her head and met his pain-filled eyes.  "It should be Maureen's decision to tell Kathy."

Grabbing his coat, Elliot headed to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Out!" 

Benson jumped up and pulled him back.  

When he whirled around, he faced her with an anger she had never seen in him.  It scared her.  "Leave it to the police."

"We are the police, Olivia."

"He's not worth losing your job or your life over.  If you hunt him down you will never see Maureen graduate college.  Or Kathleen at her prom.  Or Elizabeth and Dickie starting high school.  Don't.  If nothing else, think of your kids."

Elliot stood in her doorway staring at her, contemplating what she had said when his cell phone rang.

Olivia stood aside to let him back in and she closed the door behind him.

"Stabler… Kathy, calm down…"  He looked to Olivia who went to the kitchen to give him some privacy.  "Yes, I know.  No, I didn't think it was my place to tell you.  The case was assigned to me…"  He sighed and sat down.  "Kathy, Maureen is eighteen now.  She is legally an adult.  If it weren't for me being assigned the case and her thinking I had told you well…there's a good chance we might never have known in the first place."  Elliot sat back and rested his head against the couch.  "It's still an active investigation, you know I can't tell you anything.  Kathy… Kath…"  Sighing, he looked at the phone.  "You can come back out now. It's safe.  She hung up on me." 

Handing him another beer, she stood before him.  "I take it it didn't go well?"

"She thinks I'm keeping things from her purposely."  He glanced up at her.  "What are you looking so smug about?"

"Nothing.  Just that you listened to me."  She sat beside him.  "And not only did you listen, you repeated what I said." 

He nudged her with his elbow.  "Don't get used to it.  It won't happen often."

"But it happened and that's all that matters."  Her expression turned serious.  "Are you still planning on going after him?"

Elliot shook his head.  "What you said made sense.  We know who he is.  It's only a matter of time till they catch him."  He sighed.  "I really thought Kathy and I could have an amicable divorce but… That phone call.  She really sounded as if she hates me."

"She needs someone to take it out on.  You were always that person.  The two of you have known each other for far too long to truly hate each other, divorce or not.  Maureen isn't just *your* daughter you know."

They sat in companionable silence on her couch, occasionally sipping at their beers.

"Sometimes… and I know this is going to sound horrible, but sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if Kathy hadn't gotten pregnant when we were eighteen.  Sometimes I wonder if we even would have gotten married if there hadn't been a kid involved."

Olivia had only partially been surprised by the statement.

"I love my kids.  I love Kathy.  I really do… but…"

"You had dreamed of going away to college, of trying new things, of exploring the world around you," she stated.

"Yeah."

"El, did you ever think that maybe Kathy had dreams too?"

He smiled.  "She wanted to be an artist.  She used to paint the most amazing things."

"You weren't the only one who had to sacrifice."

He looked at her.  "For someone who has never been married you certainly understand it well."

"Years of observation," she grinned then yawned.

"I should let you get some sleep.  I'll get a cab back to the hotel."

"Don't be ridiculous.  I can either drive you or you can stay here.  The couch is pretty comfortable."

Laughing at her as she tried to stifle another yawn, he shook his head.  "You are not driving anyone anywhere.  A cab isn't that bad."

She walked him to the door.  "Okay, but my door is always open for you, you know."

"I know.  And I appreciate that.  Thanks.  I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah."


	2. Part 2

The next morning, Benson tapped her pen on her desk awaiting the arrival of her partner.

"Unless you're planning on handing out aspirin to everyone, could you please stop that?" Munch asked.

She looked up.  "Huh?"

He nodded to the pen in her hand, the one still being tapped.

"Oh."

"You don't think he really went after the guy, do you?" Fin asked without glancing up from his paperwork.  When she did not respond, he finally looked up.  "Olivia?"

She shrugged.  "I hope not."

"Benson."  

Her heart skipped a beat.  The captain did not look happy.

"Close the door," he told her when she entered his office.  "Where is Stabler?" he growled.

"I… What happened?"

"Just please tell me you know where he's been all night."

She shook her head.  

"Then when he gets here he'd better have a damn good alibi."  He sat at his desk.  "James Chimon's body was just found near Chelsea Piers.  Time of death is estimated between two and four am.  What frame of mind was he in when you last saw him?"

"His daughter had nearly been raped by a cop!  What kind of frame of mind would *you* have been in?" she snapped.  Taking a deep breath, she calmed.  "When he left my place he assured me he wasn't going to go after the guy.  I had no reason to think otherwise.  I thought I had gotten through to him."

"What time did he leave your place?"

"Around eleven."

"I hope his wife can give him an alibi then."

It hit Olivia like a ton of bricks.  Normally Elliot would have an alibi with her but… no one else knew of the impending divorce.  "I hope so, too," she whispered.

Opening the door, she stopped short.  Stabler was just walking in, wearing the same clothes he had had on the day before and looking as if he hadn't slept at all.  With a quick glance back at Cragen, who urged her to talk to him first, she grabbed her partner's arm and dragged him down the hall to a private room.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Hopefully saving you."  Benson paced the floor for a few moments while Stabler watched her.  "Where did you go when you left last night?"

"The hotel."

Her eyes met his.  

"Then out," he admitted.

"Just please tell me you have a solid alibi."

He stared at her.

"How could you be so stupid, Elliot?" she screamed.  "You know how…"

"What happened?" he asked.

"Chimon was murdered last night."

He sank down in a nearby chair and ran his hands over his face.  

"So whatever you did do last night, tell me you had someone, anyone who can give you an alibi."

"I don't, Liv.  I went out for a walk."  His laugh was dry.  "How many times have we rolled our eyes at suspects with that excuse?"

Sitting down across from him, she reached across the table and touched his hands.  "What did you do last night?"

"Went for a walk, stopped at a bar, had a few drinks, went for another walk.  But I was out of the bar by one-thirty so that won't help."

"What time did you get back to the hotel?"

He thought for a moment.  "I think it was around three-fifteen."

"Well, if they find out he died after three-fifteen then we should be able to use the hotel surveillance to establish an alibi for you."

The door opened and Cragen walked in followed by Fin, Munch and two officers.  "Elliot…"

Benson stood up.  "You're going to arrest him now?"

Cragen nodded.  "Evidence at the scene…"  He looked to his other detective.  "Unless you have an alibi…"

"No."

Fin and Munch stood beside Benson as the three watched their friend be escorted away in handcuffs.

************************

"The evidence is circumstantial at best," Benson argued, looking over the information that had been given to Cragen.

He sat at Stabler's desk.  "We've arrested people on less.  If we let someone slide just because they are a cop…"

"It's all politics," Munch mumbled.  "Look, we all know he didn't do it.  Heaven knows I would have but he wouldn't."

"What about Casey?" Olivia asked.

"What about me?" asked the tall auburn-haired woman.  "I get in late this morning only to find my new case is prosecuting one Detective Elliot Stabler for the murder of a suspected rapist?  Great start to the day, so does anyone want to fill me in?" 

Benson handed the file to the ADA.

"Wait, you're handing the file to the enemy here," Munch commented.

Glaring at him, Novak exclaimed, "You've got to be kidding me?  You are holding him on this evidence?"

"We can't play favorites and it was a cop who was killed," Cragen offered once again.

Fin turned in his chair.  "At the risk of sounding like my partner, what if someone is framing Elliot?"

Munch grinned.  "I see I'm training you well."

"Why frame him?" Benson asked.

Fin shrugged.  "Haven't figured that part out yet.  But it was a thought."

"You know…" Munch jumped in, "He may be on to something.  The only evidence at the scene was a college picture of Maureen.  Anyone could have gotten hold of something like that."

"But the only people who knew what happened are in this room and Aimee and Maureen," argued Benson.

"What about Kathy?" Cragen asked.

"Her too."  She sighed and shook her head.  "No, Kathy would not do something like that."

"Why not?" asked Casey.  "She has just as much motive as Aimee's parents and Elliot.  We can't eliminate anyone as a suspect based on personal feelings."

"She wouldn't risk it.  Not with the divorce and…"  Olivia shut her mouth upon realizing what she had said.

The others stared at her.

"He didn't want anyone to know yet."

They all nodded in silent agreement that the secret was safe with them.

"If that's the case, then she might risk it," Cragen finally said.  "She's losing her husband, her daughter was attacked…"

Knowing he was right, Olivia argued no further.  The important thing at the moment was clearing her partner of murder.

Casey handed the file back to Benson.  "I'll see what I can do about delaying the case from my end.  But if word gets out that I'm doing this…"  She shot a glance at Munch who held his hands up then walked away.

"You do realize that Aimee and Maureen are both considered suspects as well," Munch reminded them.

"Olivia, if you want off this case…"

"No, Captain, I need to stay on it.  I need to see it through."

"Alright.  Fin, Munch, you two go talk to Sergeant Filmore at the 4-3.  Benson, you go talk to Mrs. Filmore.  Their daughter was raped.  They have just as much motive as the Stablers in this."

*********************

"Mrs. Filmore, I'm Detective Olivia Benson."  She introduced herself to the weary woman before her.  "I need to talk to you."

She nodded and allowed Benson inside.  "This is about Aimee?"

Olivia nodded.  "I'm very sorry."

"My husband told me an officer in his own precinct did this."

"We are following leads at the moment.  Mrs. Filmore, I was wondering where you were last night?"

"Here, why?"

"Were you here all night?  Can anyone testify to that?"

"Yes, my husband and son can both do that.  What's this about?"

Benson studied the woman.  The worry lines on her face told the story of a woman who had spent many years in fear of losing her husband in the line of duty only to now have to deal with the rape of her daughter.  "Our suspect was found dead last night.  This is just routine questioning."

Mrs. Filmore nodded.  "I understand.  I'm not sorry he's dead but I do appreciate you following the book on this.  My son and my husband were both here all night as well."

Benson nodded and took down notes.  "What about a boyfriend?"

"No, Aimee didn't have one, at least not that I know of.  The boy she had been dating throughout high school broke up with her after they graduated.  He said it was because they were both going to be at different schools and wouldn't get to see each other as much."

"I'll need his name and where he is going to school if you have it."

"Sure.  Robert Gopen and he is attending Princeton."

After thanking her, Benson left and immediately called Munch and Fin.

"Anyone up for a trip to Princeton?" she asked Munch.

"Jersey gives me hives.  But I'm sure Fin would love to go." 

"Did you guys find anything?"

"He says he was at home all night with his wife and son."

"That's what Mrs. Filmore told me.  I'm going to stop by and see Elliot before I head back to the station."

"Tell him we said hi."

She smiled and hung up the cell phone.

******************

Sitting in the barred room, Olivia shivered as a chill ran through her.  What if they couldn't clear him?  What if this was the only way she'd ever be able to see him?

"Hey, stranger."  Elliot smiled and took a seat at the table.

"Hey yourself.  How are you holding up?"

He shrugged.  "They put me in my own cell.  Seems we are responsible for a good number of the people in holding here."

"El, if it's not safe…"

"Liv, I'm fine, really.  How's the case?"

"The list of suspects just keeps on growing.  But you know I can't discuss it with you at the moment.  Just trust us."

"I always trust you, Liv."  He paused.  "I called Kathy to let her know what happened."

"And?"

"She apologized for the call last night.  You were right.  She just needed to vent."

Sadly, she smiled.  "You always hurt the ones you love."

"Is that why I keep hurting you?" he asked softly.  His eyes grew large upon realizing he had spoken it out loud.  "Olivia…" 

With her heart racing, she put on a smile as a front.  "Don't worry, El, anything you say cannot be held against you right now."

"Have you seen Maureen at all?"

"No.  I was going to drop by the dorms later today to see how they are doing.  I'll let her know you're okay and that you love her."

He laughed.  "Sometimes it scares me that you can read my mind."

"As it should, Detective Stabler," she teased.  "I have to go, actually.  Fin and I have a lead to follow up on."

They both stood up and looked at each other.  

"You be careful," she told him.

"Don't worry about me."

************************

Benson was just picking up her keys to meet Fin outside when someone called her name.  She turned around.  "Maureen.  What are you doing here?"

The blonde walked over to her.  "I was looking for Dad."

Everything had happened so fast that no one remembered to call Maureen.  She led the teen into the interrogation room.  "Maureen…"

"Something's happened to him, hasn't it?" she panicked.

"No.  Not anything like that.  I was going to stop by later to talk to you.  He… he was arrested this morning."

Maureen stared at Olivia.

"He's okay."

She continued to stare.

"Maureen?"

"Wh… why was he arrested?"  Her voice shook.

Olivia inhaled deeply.  "We had a suspect.  You're father knew who it was, as did Aimee's father.  He was killed last night."

Maureen jumped up, causing the chair the fall.  "What?  So automatically Dad is the one who did it?"

"Maureen, we all know he didn't."

"Then why is he in jail?"  

Inwardly, Olivia couldn't help but smile.  Maureen paced the floor exactly like her father did.  "The DA is working on getting him out.  Don't worry…"

"Don't worry?" she hissed, turning to face Olivia.  "My father, a cop, is in jail with who knows how many people he put away and you're telling me not to worry?  My mom's falling apart at home."  Tears streamed down her pale face.  "How can I not worry?"

Olivia walked over to her and held her tight as she cried.  "I don't know," she admitted.

"Aren't you worried?" she asked in between sobs.

Hesitating before answering, Olivia nodded.  "Yeah.  I am."

******************

Fin and Benson returned back to New York late after conducting interviews with Aimee's ex-boyfriend and his roommates.

She yawned as Fin pulled into the parking garage.

"Go home," he told her.  "I'll drag Munch in and we'll work on this for now.  You need sleep."

"I'm okay.  I'll catch a short nap here."

Fin turned to face her.  "You're not going to do any of us any good if you collapse of exhaustion."

She glared at him and he backed down.

****************

Munch, Fin, Benson and even Cragen worked all through the night trying to connect all the pieces.  Their interviews with the Filmore's had provided no new clues, only a new suspect in Robert.  

"What are we missing?" growled Olivia as she gazed over the board upon which were posted all their potential suspects… Maureen, Aimee, Sergeant Filmore, Mrs. Filmore, Elliot, Kathy and Robert.  "Who has the most to gain by framing Elliot?"

"That's an easy one… Kathy."  Fin regretted it the second he said it.  "I didn't mean it to… it's late."

"No, Fin, you're right.  We have to look at it from an outside perspective and that leaves Kathy as the prime suspect to frame Elliot… if Elliot really is being framed."  Cragen risked a glance at Benson.

"IF?" she yelled.

"Olivia, he's right."  Munch stepped between her and their captain.  "It is possible that Elliot really did do it."

Slamming her fist on the board, she stormed off.  

Munch followed.  He found her in their favorite spot to get away from everything – the rooftop.  "Jumping won't help anything you know.  It's messy and just overall unpleasant."

She tried not to laugh but somehow Munch always made her feel a little better about things.  "And it's the easy way out."  Passing a glance over her shoulder, she said, "I could always throw you over though.  Take out some frustration." 

"You could," he grinned.  "But then who would be left here to aggravate you everyday?"

She went back to staring out across the city.

"You going to be alright?"

"I don't know.  I know the Captain's right.  I know Fin is right.  I know we can't eliminate Kathy and Elliot as suspects, or Maureen for that matter, just because they are like family.  It's just…"

"Hey, no one believes he did it.  I don't think any of us believe Kathy did it."

Olivia wiped away a single tear.  "When did it all get so complicated?"

Munch smiled.  "When you fell in love with your partner."

Gasping, she looked at him.  "I… what… John, it's not…"

But he kept on smiling.

"Is it that obvious," she asked.

"No, just to someone who's been through three marriages."

"I never meant for it to happen.  He was married so I guess that's what made it safe."

"No fear of being hurt.  No fear of rejection.  No fear of getting too close."

Benson nodded.  

"Now that he's no longer married?"

She remained silent.

Putting an arm around her shoulder, he turned her back towards the door.  "Let's get this thing figured out so you and Elliot can get things figured out."

*********************

It was nearing eleven in the morning and each member of the SVU squad was working on their fifth cup of coffee.  

"I'm looking for Detective Benson."

All eyes fell upon the young officer who stood before them.  He was tall with haunted green eyes.

"I'm Benson," said Olivia with hand extended.

"Can we talk in private somewhere?" he softly asked.

Taking him to the interrogation room, she closed the door and sat down.  "Would you like some coffee or anything?"

He shook his head.  "I'm Officer Michael Carter.  I work over at the 4-3," he began.  

Her defenses went up immediately.  

"It's about Chimon."

"What do you know about him?"

The young man's eyes locked into hers.  "That Sergeant Filmore's daughter wasn't the first girl he ever raped."

Olivia sat back in her chair taking in the information.  "How many others?"

"At least ten.  Mostly high school students."

Her breathing increased as her anger grew.  "You knew and you didn't tell anyone?"

But Carter's voice remained soft and timid while his gaze fell from hers.  "I didn't know.  Not until last night when I was cleaning out his locker."  He paused.  "He was my partner.  He was my partner and I had no idea."  Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out videotape and placed it on the table.  "He taped them all with a hidden camera.  Why he kept it at the precinct is beyond me."

Benson stared at the tape.  This was evidence that Chimon had been a serial rapist but it still didn't help to clear her own partner.  In fact, it only added more suspects for them to interview.  Picking up the tape, she stood up.  "I… I'm sorry about your partner."  She tried to muster all the sympathy she could but it was difficult.

Carter looked up at her.  "Don't be.  After what I saw on that tape I'm actually glad he's dead.  But… Detective, there was another thing.  I…" He buried his face in his hands.  "This could be the end of my career if I tell you this…"

She sat back down.  "Tell me what?"

"I overheard two of the guys talking in the locker room last night.  They didn't realize I was there…"  He looked around.  "You may want to tape this as evidence in case something happens to me."

Benson went out of the room, indicated to the guys to listen in, and grabbed a recorder.

"Okay, just for the record, could you state your name once again please?"

He nodded.  He knew the drill.  "Officer Michael Carter.  Last night while I was clearing out Officer James Chimon's locker I heard Detectives Sean McKeever and Joseph Crighten discussing Chimon's murder.  I stopped what I was doing to listen in closer.  Sean McKeever told Crighten to watch what he said because 'Filmore can't know anything about this.'"  Carter sighed.  "They then went on to discuss how Chimon deserved worse than the death they gave him after what he did to Aimee.  Thank goodness the other cops daughter was involved too.  It was almost too easy to frame him."

Inside, Benson was thrilled.  This was the break they needed to clear Elliot.  But at the same time to hear two fellow officers plotted the death of a third…  "Did they give a detailed description of what happened?"

Carter shook his head.  "No.  I'm sorry."

Turning off the recorder, Benson smiled at him.  "We'll make sure you are not in danger.  I think you've given us enough to get search warrants so we will hopefully have them behind bars soon."

*****************************

Benson and Fin strode into the 4-3, went to the locker room without warning and opened the lockers of McKeever and Crighten.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" McKeever asked, pushing Benson aside.

Fin, seeing her fist ready to make contact, stepped over to her and held her back.  "We're above this," he whispered then let her hand the search warrants over. 

"Now, get out of our way or you'll be arrested for obstruction of justice," she hissed heading straight for McKeever's locker where she proceeded to find exactly what they needed.  She turned around and grinned smugly at McKeever.  "For a cop you're not exactly the smartest person in the world."  She held up a crumpled up, blood-spattered shirt.

Crighten tried to quietly sneak back out of the room but was stopped by Sergeant Filmore himself.  "Not so fast there, Crighten.  We haven't seen what is in your locker yet."

"Olivia."

She walked over to Fin then turned and glared at Crighten.  "I can't wait to see what they find in your apartment."  With that, she looked through numerous pictures of teenage girls, including pictures of Aimee and Maureen in bikinis taken at the beach over the summer.

*********************

Within an hour, Olivia sat anxiously in the waiting area of Rikers.  As soon as Elliot stepped through the door she was up and wrapping herself around him.  

"Geez, Liv.  You'd think you missed me or something."

Letting go, she looked at him with a huge smile… a smile that quickly faded when she saw the black eye he had obtained in prison.  Gingerly, she reached up and touched it.  "What happened?"

"Met the bad end of a fist."

"Daddy!"

Olivia stepped aside just as Maureen collided with her father in an embrace.  "I am so sorry, Dad."

He held her tight.  "You have nothing to be sorry about, sweetheart," he whispered back, fighting tears.

After giving them a few moments, Olivia stepped closer.  "I hate to interrupt but I don't think any of us want to stay here any longer than we have to."

Keeping an arm around his daughter, Elliot looked at her.  "What are you doing here anyway?  This isn't a place for a…"

"Child?" Maureen finished.  "Dad, I'm not a child anymore.  And if it hadn't been for me wanting to fit in at school you wouldn't have even been here in the first place.  I have a right to be here."

Benson smiled.

Elliot just stared at Maureen.  "When did you grow up?"

She laughed.  "Awhile ago, Dad.  Now, can we get out of here?"

"Thank you," Elliot whispered to Olivia.

"I couldn't have stopped her if I tried," she replied.

*********************

Near eleven at night Olivia Benson was curled up on her couch watching the late news.  After having lunch with Maureen and Elliot, she had left them while Elliot had taken Maureen back to spend time with Kathy and his other three children.  She had, instead, gone home upon Cragen's orders, and slept most of the day.

A knock at her door made her jump.

Looking through the peephole, she smiled and opened the door.

"Are you always this trusting?" Elliot asked.

She pointed to the tiny viewer in the door.  "They made them for a reason."

Seeing her dressed in pajamas, he asked, "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, I've been sleeping all day.  I was just watching… I have no idea what I was watching actually."

He laughed.  "I just wanted to stop by and thank you once again for not giving up.  And… and for being their for Maureen."

They sat on her couch.  "How is everything with Kathy and the kids?" she asked.

"They're fine.  They're better now that they've seen me alive and in person."  He stared down at his hands.  "We told them about the divorce."

"How did that go?"

"They all knew already.  Even Elizabeth and Dickie."

Olivia reached over and covered his hands with hers.  "They're all growing up, El.  It's what kids do."

They continued to sit in silence for many moments.  It was nice to not have bars separating them any longer.

"Maureen asked me about you," he told her.

"She just saw me."

He gave her a sideways glance and smiled.

"Oh."

His heart pounded wildly as he said, "She told me that she and the other kids would be fine with it."

"With what?"  She was thoroughly confused.

His blue eyes trained themselves on hers.  "With us."

"El, you did tell her there is no 'us' didn't you?"

He nodded, his eyes still locked into hers.

She tried to ignore it.  She tried to keep those feelings pushed deep down where they had been for so long.

Leaning over, his lips softly pressed against hers.  Before her mind could register what was happening, she found herself pressing harder.  The kiss was just about to deepen when she pulled back and looked at him.

"I'm sorry, Liv.  If it's not…"

"It's not that.  I just… you haven't even gotten divorced yet and…"

He nodded.  "You're right."

Olivia looked away.  "And I don't want to be the rebound girl," she said quietly.

"What?"  He turned her face so she was looking at him once again.  "Liv, I would never, I could never, do that to you.  I've been fighting feelings for you for a long time now.  Never, never would I consider you the 'rebound' girl."

"Really?"

"Yeah.  Since this attraction seems to be a mutual thing why don't we just not change anything and see what happens on it's own."  A smile blossomed.  "Besides, you may get sick of me now that I have more time to spend with you."

"And what makes you think I hadn't gotten sick of you long ago?" she teased.

"If you had, you wouldn't have allowed yourself to look like hell for the last two days from overwork."

Her jaw dropped.  "Elliot Stabler, I am going to make you pay for that comment!"

Pulling her close to him, he whispered, "I know you are."

They held each other into the early hours.  The comfort and strength they found in each other was sometimes overwhelming but after what they had gone through it was what they needed.  Comfort, friendship and love.

The End


End file.
